Hammond demands prime minister apologises to former ministers over Yellowhammer leaks
Philip Hammond on ITV's Peston programme. Photograph: ITV. - Credit: Archant
Former chancellor Philip Hammond has written to Boris Johnson about the leaked Operation Yellowhammer documents on no-deal preparations demanding he apologises for accusations made.
He said it was now apparent the document was dated August 2019, and so could not have been leaked by a minister from Theresa May's government.
Hammond wrote that according to the media, a Number 10 source had briefed the dossier was "deliberately leaked by a former minister in an attempt to influence discussions with EU leaders".
He said: "The clear implication was that a minister in the last government has retained, and then leaked, a copy of this document. The media has speculated accordingly on the source of this document."
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Hammond continued: "It has now become apparent that the leaked document was, in fact, dated August 2019 and would not, therefore, have been available to any former minister who is not serving in the current administration.
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"Accordingly, I am writing on behalf of all former ministers in the last administration to ask you to withdraw these allegations which question our integrity, acknowledge that no former minister could have leaked this document, and apologise for the misleading briefing from No. 10."
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